Rockies Even the Series

The Rockies beat the Giants 1-0 to even the series. Brett Anderson was off to a good start tossing three innings yielding one hit, one walk, two strikeouts and no runs. He had his best work of 2014 with 40 pitches and 30 strikes.

“We pitched good,” said manager Bruce Bochy. “[Matt] Cain gave us a good effort, bullpen did a great job. They just pitched better.”

Anderson got injured while at-bat in the fourth. He left the game with a left index finger contusion and was replaced by Tommy Kahnle. Colorado scored their first and only run in the third. Cain walked Charlie Blackmon to start the frame and Brandon Barnes singled on a ground ball to second base. Troy Tulowitzki’s sacrifice fly scored in Blackmon.

Cain finished the day with eight strikeouts, the most he’s recorded in a game since June 23, 2013. Today was one of his best outings, he tossed seven frames, surrendered four hits and one run. His 116 pitches was the most he’s thrown since Sept 19th against the Rockies.

“I was throwing a lot of strikes and moving the ball around a good bit,” Cain said. “But if you make a leadoff walk… I did a bad job of keeping good attention to him on second and that cost us a run.”

Unfortunately the bats were quiet for San Francisco. Both Angel Pagan and Michael Morse went 0-for-4. Pagan’s ten-game hitting streak was snapped as well as Morse who hit for nine consecutive games. The Giants went 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position.

“They pitched really well today,” Pagan said. “Even the starter, he got hurt but he was throwing a very good game. Then the bullpen just got his back. You’ve got to give them credit, when a pitcher throws their best pitches, there’s not much you can do.”

San Francisco had a chance to rally a comeback bottom of the eighth when Adam Ottavino loaded the bases with two walks and a double from Brandon Crawford. But he struck out Pablo Sandoval to end the inning leaving three stranded.

The Giants weren’t successful on offense but they faired well on defense. The bullpen retired the last 15 batters shutting Colorado’s offense down. Carlos Gonzalez also had his ten-game hitting streak snapped after going 0-for-4.